I once was on a 20+ aircraft lineup for takeoff, and when we turned for takeoff I could thee that most aircraft were at a relatively close distance from one another, probably closer than in this picture. Does anyone know if the jetblast could scrape off or melt the paint on the affected airplane? I would assume NO as long as thrust is not higher than required for taxi operations. But could it get nasty if someone is not cautious? Thanks in advance

Hi E1FAIL, what do you mean by dinged and nicked? Sorry, I don't know the whole English stuff . The shattering part I get. It must be a really dangerous situation because once the windshield is shattered the crew remains exposed physically to the jetblast. Not to mention the glass and other debris flying around.

In larger aircraft the main problem you get is the smell of the jet exhaust from the lead aircraft. In small aircraft the is a danger of upset if you are too close the lead airplane. Several years ago I witnessed a C-172 nearly get blown over when the pilot cut too close behind a B727.

Hi E1FAIL, what do you mean by dinged and nicked? Sorry, I don't know the whole English stuff . The shattering part I get. It must be a really dangerous situation because once the windshield is shattered the crew remains exposed physically to the jetblast. Not to mention the glass and other debris flying around.

By dinged and nicked I meant minor denting of the skin and pitting and scratching of the paint. Nothing too serious and certainly nothing out of structural limits.

Actually the windshield is a fairly thick multi-ply window. When it blew only the outer ply shattered. There was no danger to us in the cockpit, although the drive back to the hangar was interesting as the guy who was steering the plane could no longer see ahead of him.

BTW, when that window did shatter it sounded like a shotgun going off. Took us by surprise to say the least.

We once had the cargo door on the rear of a metro nearly blown of its hinges when a B767 turned during taxi, caused an expensive delay because we required an engineer to inspect the door prior to departure.

I love walking behind a taxying 732 while walking across the ramp. Hot air, the jetfume smell... Yes I'm crazy.

However, once a BN2 was being maintained on the ramp in PKU/WIBB when a Merpati 732 taxied past and made a 150 degree turn to it's parking spot, with power! My crew was prepared and we had already grabbed loose items. However the BN2 was only attended by one person... It's not funny when you have to chase your engine cowling being blown over to the runway after being jetblasted.

We decided to help the poor engineer, Called the tower requesting traffic info before we ran to pick up the cowling about 2m from the runway's edge while a 737 was just about to come on finals.

FredT,
Don't you know it! I hate it when I accidentally get a little Jet-A on my skin, say under my watch band - it gives me a miserable itchy rash. Our pilots and mechanics wear rubber gloves when we have to sump the drains. Nasty stuff.
Jetguy

Wouldn't breathing in jet blast have the same effects as breathing in car exhaust? Deep down they are both combustion reactions making CO2 and H20 and we breathe car exhaust every day. Except the gasoline has octane while kerosene has something higher i forgot maybe C12 molecules and above. But they still make the same products....

Jet blast feels great when it's cold out, but I prefer to stand by the APU exhaust on a CRJ-200 over getting behind a running engine. FOD damage can happen to a/c due to FOD being blown into a/c by other a/c jet blast. This is one of the reasons why FOD walks (not just on the ramp, but also on taxiways and runways) is so important. Ingestion of FOD into engines is more common than FOD being blown against other a/c by jet blast.